Portable GNSS survey system

Abstract

A method for using a GNSS device to determine a position of an unknown point includes determining positions of a first point, a second point, and a third point using the GNSS device. A first image is captured of the first point using an image sensor, the image includes the unknown point and at least one of the second point or the third point. A second image is captured from the second point; the second image includes the unknown point and at least one of the second point or the third point. A third image is captured from the third point; the third image includes the unknown point and at least one of the second point or the first point. A position of the unknown point is calculated based on the first, second, and third images and the first, second, and third positions.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for using a GNSS device to determine a position of an unknown point, the method comprising:
 determining a first position of a first point based on GNSS signals received by the GNSS device, wherein the first point is at a first location; 
 capturing a first image from the first point at the first location using an image sensor of the GNSS device, the first image including the unknown point and at least one of a second point or a third point; 
 determining a second position of the second point based on GNSS signals received by the GNSS device, wherein the second point is at a second location; 
 capturing a second image from the second point at the second location, the second image including the unknown point and at least one of the first point or the third point; 
 determining a third position of the third point based on GNSS signals received by the GNSS device, wherein the third point is at a third location; 
 capturing a third image from the third point at the third location, the third image including the unknown point and at least one of the second point or the first point; and 
 calculating a position of the unknown point based on the first, second, and third images and the first, second, and third positions, wherein the first point, the second point, the third point, and the unknown point are different points. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first image, the second image, or the third image include a marker on at least one of the first point, the second point, or the third point. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second position is determined using the GNSS device. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the third position is determined using the GNSS device. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the GNSS device calculates the position of the unknown point. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the calculation of the position of the unknown point is based on a photogrammetric algorithm. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein an image sensor of the GNSS device captures of at least one of the first image, the second image, or the third image. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein an image sensor of the GNSS device captures each of the first image, the second image, and the third image. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein an image sensor separate from the GNSS device captures at least one of the first image, the second image, or the third image. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first image, the second image or the third image includes metadata storing at least one of the first position, the second position, or the third position. 
     
     
       11. A GNSS device comprising:
 an image sensor; 
 a display configured to display images captured with the image sensor; 
 a user interface configured to receive user input; 
 a processor configured to execute instructions; and 
 memory containing a instructions executable on the processor, the instructions include instructions for:
 determining a first position of a first point based on GNSS signals received by the GNSS device, wherein the first point is at a first location; 
 capturing a first image from the first point at the first location using the image sensor, the first image including the unknown point and at least one of a second point or a third point, wherein; 
 determining a second position of the second point based on GNSS signals received by the GNSS device, wherein the second point is at a second location; 
 capturing a second image from the second point at the second location, the second image including the unknown point and at least one of the first point or the third point; 
 determining a third position of the third point based on GNSS signals received by the GNSS device, wherein the third point is at a third location; 
 capturing a third image from the third point at the third location, the third image including the unknown point and at least one of the second point or the first point; and 
 calculating a position of the unknown point based on the first, second, and third images and the first, second, and third positions, wherein the first point, the second point, the third point, and the unknown point are different points. 
 
 
     
     
       12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions for:
 determining a first position of a first point based on GNSS signals received by the GNSS device, wherein the first point is at a first location; 
 capturing a first image from the first point at the first location using an image sensor, the first image including the unknown point and at least one of a second point or a third point; 
 determining a second position of the second point based on GNSS signals received by the GNSS device, wherein the second point is at a second location; 
 capturing a second image from the second point at the second location, the second image including the unknown point and at least one of the first point or the third point; 
 determining a third position of the third point based on GNSS signals received by the GNSS device, wherein the third point is at a third location; 
 capturing a third image from the third point at the third location, the third image including the unknown point and at least one of the second point or the first point; and 
 calculating a position of the unknown point based on the first, second, and third images and the first, second, and third positions, wherein the first point, the second point, the third point, and the unknown point are different points. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first image, the second image, or the third image include a marker on at least one of the first point, the second point, or the third point. 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the second position is determined using the GNSS device. 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the third position is determined using the GNSS device. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the GNSS device calculates the position of the unknown point. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the calculation of the position of the unknown point is based on a photogrammetric algorithm. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first image, the second image or the third image includes metadata storing at least one of the first position, the second position, or the third position. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first image, the second image or the third image includes metadata storing at least one of the first position, the second position, or the third position.